In a day where only three games were played—thanks to a rainout between Great Lakes and Peoria—the Dodgers' minor league affiliates managed just one win in three tries. But that one victory was a beauty, and it came thanks to some clutch performances from two rising stars.
The Tulsa Drillers edged out a 4-3 win over the Missions in a classic pitcher's duel, and the story of the game was the dynamic duo of Zyhir Hope and Frank Rodriguez. Hope delivered a two-run homer that accounted for half of Tulsa's scoring, pushing his season total to five home runs while maintaining an impressive batting average above .300. Meanwhile, Rodriguez was simply unstoppable, reaching base in all three of his plate appearances with a solo shot, an RBI double, and a walk. In fact, Rodriguez was responsible for half of the Drillers' four hits—talk about making every swing count.
The Drillers turned to a bullpen game, and it paid off beautifully. Lefty Evan Shaw made his first start of the 2026 season, covering two solid innings before handing the ball to the relief corps. Hobbs ran into some trouble in the fourth, surrendering a pair of solo home runs, but those ended up being the Missions' last hurrah. The pitching staff held firm, allowing just three runs total, and the Drillers' offense did just enough to make it stand up.
Over in the other game, the Comets found themselves playing catch-up from the very first inning. Starter Logan Allen was tagged for three runs in the opening frame, but he settled in nicely, giving his offense time to respond. And respond they did, plating three runs in the fifth to tie things up. Unfortunately, Allen and the bullpen couldn't hold the momentum, surrendering the lead right back in the bottom of the same inning. The Comets had plenty of chances, finishing with nine hits and six walks—but they stranded 12 runners on base, ultimately falling to 13-16 on the season. James Tibbs III deserves an honorable mention for his 3-for-5 day, but it wasn't enough to lift the Comets past the Express.
For the Drillers, this win was a testament to efficiency and execution. With just four hits, they didn't need a ton of offense—they just needed the right guys to step up at the right time. And in Hope and Rodriguez, they found exactly that.